As the holiday season approaches, the need for volunteers at the Ainsley House and the Campbell Historical Museum intensifies. More people are required during the holidays due to a number of special events and additional operating hours: The Ainsley House, which is usually open only Thursday through Sunday, is open every day from Nov. 14 until Dec. 19 from noon to 4 p.m., excluding Thanksgiving Day.

“It really puts a strain on our volunteers. Now is our big push to recruit more, if possible,” said Kerry Perkins, museum educator.

Volunteer positions that need filling include museum docents, who give guided tours of the Ainsley House; volunteer greeters who greet visitors and ring up sales in the gift shop; garden volunteers, who meet Tuesday mornings to tend to the gardens; and special event volunteers, who run concessions for concerts and serve holiday teas.

Perkins said the museum’s biggest need is for docents and greeters.

“Without [those] volunteers, we can’t be open,” she said, explaining that the Campbell Historical Museum is currently closed on Saturday and Sunday because there’s no greeter to staff it.

Darlene Dyer has been volunteering at Ainsley House since she retired from nursing in 1998. She served as a greeter for about 14 years and became a docent about a year and a half ago, when former museum curator Karen Lange encouraged her to apply for the position.

“I always kind of wanted to do it,” she said. “I had been here so long and listened to the story for so long that becoming a docent was a lot easier than it is for most people.”

Dyer has been a member of the Campbell Methodist Church since 1957. She started working at the Ainsley House because she had many friends who volunteered as docents and greeters.

“I love the people and the relationships because there’s so many neat people here,” she said. “It’s fun to work with different people.”

Dyer’s enthusiasm for the museum shines as she describes quirky details of the Ainsley family. She explained that docents should include fun facts and “cute little details” so the tour doesn’t get boring.

Dyer volunteers two or three times a month. On an average afternoon, she leads one tour, she said. However, the last time she volunteered, she led four back-to-back tours.

The key to being a good docent is being aware of people’s interests and having the ability to keep the tour moving, she said.

“I’ve always felt that volunteering is an important thing to do. You have to give back,” she said.

Docents and greeters generally volunteer for four-hour shifts twice a month, while garden volunteers meet on Tuesday mornings year round. There are about 25 museum docents and greeters and seven garden volunteers; the number of special event volunteers varies based on the size of the event, Perkins said.

Volunteering is a great way to get involved with the community and help preserve history, Perkins said. In April, the city honors volunteers with a luncheon. Volunteers get a tax deduction for their expenses, plus they get a 10 percent discount in the gift shop. Training is available to those who wish to lead tours.

Most of the volunteers are retired community members, but there are also a number of working adults who step up. There have been student volunteers in the past, but not many due to the time commitment, Perkins said.

“We’ve recruited through junior colleges, but it never really amounted to much,” she said.

Blythe Kern, who served temporarily as volunteer coordinator after Lange retired, said most of the volunteers are Campbell residents. Kern said five new volunteers joined recently. One of the new volunteers is a chemist from England; another is a school teacher.

Younger docents are important, Kern said, as some of the older tour guides have trouble making it up the stairs or can’t handle back-to-back tours. To solve the problem, Kern encourages docents to bring a buddy to help with the tours.

The foundation recruits volunteers through websites such as VolunteerMatch and Craigslist, distributing fliers at community events, social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter and word of mouth.

Else Olesen, the store manager of the gift shop, said she loves the volunteer work. Olesen spends about 40 unpaid hours at the gift shop each month.

Olesen worked in retail for 44 years. She’s been volunteering in the gift shop since March. Olesen, who is originally from Denmark, has lived in Santa Clara County for 39 years.

She gets items from local gift centers and wholesalers and decorates or “blings out” the items with sparkles or jewels.

“That’s what I do to help create some money,” she said.

Olesen said she enjoys keeping “two fingers on the pulse of fashion and what’s happening in town” and doesn’t mind working without pay because she enjoys spending time at the gift shop.

“I think being a volunteer, you find a place where it’s happy,” she said.

Spooky Night, a Halloween event, is scheduled for Oct. 25, in conjunction with downtown Campbell trick-or-treating. Volunteers are needed to decorate the Historical Museum and to set up craft activities for attendees.

Starting on Nov. 9, volunteers will be needed to decorate the Ainsley House for the holidays.

From Nov. 14 until Dec. 19, the Ainsley House will be open daily for tours. The house will be decorated for the holidays by local designers, florists and volunteers. The tour cost is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $4.50 for youth ages 7 to 17. The tour is free to those ages 6 and younger and museum members.

Children will be able to get photos with Santa Claus at the Ainsley House on Nov. 29 and Dec. 1 from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. The fee is $5 for museum members and $10 for the general public. Those wishing to take photos should bring their own camera.

Two open house events are scheduled for Dec. 15 and Dec. 19 from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Those attending the event are able to walk through the Ainsley House at their own pace and view the holiday decorations. Refreshments will be available at the Carriage House. Tickets are $10 for members and $15 for nonmembers and can be purchased at the museum stores or at the museum office. One volunteer is needed in each room to answer questions.

The Ainsley House is located at 300 Grant St. while the Historical Museum is located at 51 N. Central Ave. Those interested in volunteering can fill out an interest form at campbellmuseum.com or contact Kerry Perkins at 408-866-2718 or at kerryp@cityofcampbell.com.

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